People are denied opportunities to succeed in academia because of discrimination. The mission of the Life Science Editors Foundation is to accelerate equity in science. To achieve our mission, we channel the diverse knowledge and expertise of the scientific community, including current and former journal editors, grant specialists, technical writers and researchers.
Board of Directors
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Dr. Angela Andersen
Dr. Angela Andersen
Angela studied catalytic RNA during her PhD (University of Toronto), X-chromosome inactivation as a postdoc (UCSF), and epigenetics and cancer as a Research Associate (HCI, OMRF). She was a Journal Editor at Cell for almost four years and co-founded and co-runs Life Science Editors BV and Life Science Editors Foundation. Angela is the Co-Founder of LSEF and serves as the Co-Executive Director, Treasurer, and JEDI Award Program Manager.
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Dr. Giovanna Guerrero-Medina
Dr. Giovanna Guerrero-Medina
Giovanna received her PhD in Neurobiology from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by work in science policy at the National Academies, the NIH, and the Van Andel Institute. Since 2012 she has been the Executive Director of Ciencia Puerto Rico. She is also the Director of the Yale Ciencia Initiative at Yale University School of Medicine and Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Yale’s Wu Tsai Institute. These positions allow her to lead programs to promote more inclusive academic environments. Her work is funded by grants from the NIH/NIGMS and the Science Sandbox of the Simons Foundation, among others.
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Dr. Shawna Hiley
Dr. Shawna Hiley
Shawna was a Post Secondary Educator at Centennial College, Canada, and Scientific Editor at Life Science Editors. Currently, she is Scientific Editor and Communication Strategist at Caltech, with the Guttman Lab. Shawna also serves as a JEDI Award Program Manager.
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Dr. Mandë Holford
Dr. Mandë Holford
Mandë received her PhD in protein chemistry from Rockefeller University followed by an interdisciplinary, NSF postdoctoral fellowship to study venomous snails at University of Utah, Paris Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and Max Delbruck Research Center. She is an Associate Professor at CUNY Hunter College and The CUNY Graduate Center, with scientific appointments at the American Museum of Natural History and Weill Cornell Medicine. Her lab studies how venom evolved in animals and identifies novel venom peptides for use in research and medicine. She cofounded the award-winning EdTech company Killer Snails, which uses computer games to teach K-12 science.
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Dr. Helen Pickersgill
Dr. Helen Pickersgill
Helen studied cell biology during her PhD at the Paterson Institute in Manchester, UK, and gained postdoctoral experience in molecular and cancer biology at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, and the Whitehead Institute, U.S. She was a Journal Editor at Developmental Cell for a year, and then at Science for five years. She co-founded and co-runs Life Science Editors BV and co-founded Life Science Editors Foundation. Helen is the Co-Founder of LSEF and serves as Chairperson of the Board.
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Dr. Alana Welm
Dr. Alana Welm
Alana received her PhD in Cell and molecular biology at Baylor College of Medicine followed by postdoctoral training in cancer biology at UCSF. She started her laboratory at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) in 2007, where her lab focuses on breast cancer metastasis. She is a Professor and Senior Director of Basic Science at HCI. Her lab is funded by grants from the NCI, DoD, and various foundations.
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Dr. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
Dr. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
Magda received her PhD in developmental biology at Warsaw University followed by postdoctoral training on embryonic stem cells at the University of Cambridge. She is a Professor at the University of Cambridge (UK) and at the California Institute of Technology (USA). Magda studies how cells in the early mammalian embryo make decisions to drive proper development. Her lab is funded by grants from the National Institute of Health, Wellcome, European Research Council, and various foundations. Magda serves as Vice President of the Board for LSEF.
Team
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Dr. Marie Bao
Dr. Marie Bao
Former Editor-in-Chief of Developmental Cell and a Leading Edge Editor at Cell. Currently the Director of Research Administration of the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School.
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Dr. Ilil Carmi
Dr. Ilil Carmi
Former Editor at Cell, Developmental Cell and supported other Cell Press journal teams as an Agile Editor. Currently a Research Development Strategist/Grant Writer at Stanford School of Medicine.
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Dr. Kathryn Claiborn
Dr. Kathryn Claiborn
Former Editor at the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Currently a Senior Scientific Editor at Gladstone Institutes. -
Dr. Stacie Dodgson
Dr. Stacie Dodgson
Former Cell Journal Editor, with a primary focus on genetics, genomics, and immunology. Currently Scientific Strategy Manager at the Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology
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Dr. Carol Featherstone
Dr. Carol Featherstone
Former Journal Editor of Trends in Cell Biology. Currently Scientific Editor at Life Science Editors and at Plume Scientific Communication services.
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Dr. Lauren Gonzalez
Dr. Lauren Gonzalez
Currently a Research Development Fellow in the Yale Genetics Department, CT, USA.
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Dr. Caroline Hendry
Dr. Caroline Hendry
Former Journal Editor at Development. Currently the Scientific Director and Advisor to the Chair at Yale Department of Genetics.
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Dr. Rosy Hosking
Dr. Rosy Hosking
Former Journal Editor, Cell. Currently member of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research.
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Dr. Susan Jones
Dr. Susan Jones
Former Senior Editor at Nature Biotechnology, Senior Research editor at PLOS Medicine, and Chief Editor at Nature Reviews Microbiology. Currently, Chief Editor at Nature Microbiology.
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Dr. Milka Kostic
Dr. Milka Kostic
Former Editor-in-Chief at Structure and Cell Chemical Biology. Currently Program Director, Chemical Biology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Scientific Editor at Life Science Editors.
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Dr. Sabbi Lall
Dr. Sabbi Lall
Sabbi studied Developmental Genetics as a graduate student (Oxford), and microRNA-mediated regulation as a postdoc (NYU). She was a Journal Editor for five years at Nature Publishing Group and five years at Cell Press, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of Cell Reports. She is a Scientific Editor with Life Science Editors BV and co-runs the Life Science Editors Foundation. Sabbi serves as the Co-Executive Director of LSEF and JEDI Awards Program Manager.
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Dr. Connie Lee
Dr. Connie Lee
Former Journal Editor, Cell. Currently Associate Dean for Basic Science at the University of Chicago.
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Dr. Christina Lilliehook
Dr. Christina Lilliehook
Former Journal Editor, Cell Stem Cell (Deputy Editor). Currently Scientific Editor at Life Science Editors and Senior Science Writer at RA Capital Management, L.P.
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Dr. Robert Mahen
Dr. Robert Mahen
Currently an independent research fellow in the MRC Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge, UK and Language Editor and Scientific Writer, Life Science Editors.
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Dr. Emilie Marcus
Dr. Emilie Marcus
Former Journal Editor, Cell (Editor-in-Chief, CEO Cell Press). Currently Executive Strategy Officer at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
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Dr. Brandi Mattson
Dr. Brandi Mattson
Former Journal Editor, Neuron. Currently Strategy and Science Manager, Neurodegeneration Consortium.
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Dr. Kristen Mueller
Dr. Kristen Mueller
Former Journal Editor, Science and Senior Director, Scientific Program of the Melanoma Research Alliance. Currently, VP, Autoimmune Arthritis Research at the Arthritis Foundation.
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Dr. Becca Parker
Dr. Becca Parker
Currently, Medical Writer and Editor, ARUP Laboratories.
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Dr. April Pawluk
Dr. April Pawluk
Former Journal Editor at Cell, Molecular Cell, Cell Reports. Currently, a Science Editor at Life Science Editors and the Scientific Publications Strategist at Arc Institute.
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Dr. John Pham
Dr. John Pham
Previously, Journal Editor at Molecular Cell. Currently, Editor-in-Chief at Cell.
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Dr. Josephine Rodriguez
Dr. Josephine Rodriguez
Associate Professor of Biology, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wise, Virginia. Current PI of an NSF S-STEM and NSF ADVANCE project.
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Dr. Aruni P. Senaratne
Dr. Aruni P. Senaratne
Currently, Scientific Writer and Editor at Institut Curie’s Research Center.
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Dr. Diana Stafforini
Dr. Diana Stafforini
Associate Director at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, Grants Editor at Life Science Editors.
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Dr. Li-Kuo Su
Dr. Li-Kuo Su
Former Editor-in-Chief at Cancer Cell. Currently Scientific Editor at Life Science Editors.
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Dr. Matt Velinder
Dr. Matt Velinder
Previously, clinical genomics team leader at University of Utah and Language Editor at Life Science Editors. Currently, Director of Genomic Research at Metrodora Institute.
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Dr. Usha Vivegananthan
Dr. Usha Vivegananthan
Academic Coordinator, Biotechnology Programs and Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Chemical and Environmental Technology, School of Engineering Technology, Mohawk College, Hamilton, Canada
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Dr. Diana Walsh
Dr. Diana Walsh
Former Clinical Scientist with the National Health Service, UK. Currently a Language Editor and Scientific Writer at Life Science Editors.
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Dr. Ellen Wilson
Dr. Ellen Wilson
Previously, Research Development (Director), Writer and Editor at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Currently, Scientific Editor with Life Science Editors.
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Dr. Katrina Woolcock
Dr. Katrina Woolcock
Former Journal Editor at Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. Currently Scientific Editor at Life Science Editors.
Alumni
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Dr. Valentina Greco
Dr. Valentina Greco
Former Secretary of the Board of Directors. Valentina is a Professor in the Genetics, Cell Biology and Dermatology Departments, and a member of the Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center at Yale University. She is on a mission to do good, collaborative science while promoting inclusivity within the scientific community, prioritizing mentoring of the lab’s trainees’ scientific growth, and striving to make science accessible to everyone. She has received many awards, including the 2021 International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Momentum Award, the 2019 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, the 2019 Yale Postdoctoral Mentoring Award, the 2018 Yale Graduate Mentor Award in the Natural Sciences. She served on the Board of Directors of the Life Science Editors Foundation from 2020-2023, and was instrumental in our launch.